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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26277784">What Are the Odds?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/virginiaclemmpoe/pseuds/virginiaclemmpoe'>virginiaclemmpoe</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Infinity Train (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 06:27:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,442</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26277784</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/virginiaclemmpoe/pseuds/virginiaclemmpoe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Grace accepts an invitation from a close online friend to move across the country and start over. Little did she know she'd be setting herself up for an uncomfortable conversation- but one she's been imagining for years. It's the 'Grace encounters Lake and Jesse off the train and tells them what happened to Simon' fic. Also has a tiny bit of JessLake because I can't help myself, but it isn't central to the story and doesn't even come up in the character's conversation.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jesse Cosay &amp; Lake | Mirror Tulip</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>79</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>What Are the Odds?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Once again I was dying to see this scene, so I wrote it myself. PLEASE COMMENT if you're up to it :) I'd love to know what you think!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They spotted one another outside of the grocery store three weeks after Grace had moved in with her new roommate. She’d been trying to figure out a place to settle for a while after she’d gotten off the train, so when an online friend offered that they needed a roommate she decided it was a good chance for a clean start, living somewhere far away from her parents. Jesse and Lake were leaving with a couple of bags, just refreshing some essentials. Grace was just on a walk, trying to acquaint herself with the neighborhood a bit better and get some exercise. She certainly hadn’t expected to see Jesse and….MT, but when she did she surprised herself by turning and walking in their direction. </p><p>	She’d thought about her actions during their encounter on the train so many times over the years, how she’d basically condemned MT to be sanded down into dust was one of her biggest regrets. She felt a rush of relief to see that MT had survived the encounter, glad that her mistake hadn’t had the intended consequences.</p><p>	“I um…hi...MT?” Grace greeted awkwardly as she approached the two, holding up a hand in a gesture of both greeting and placation. “You….I wanted to say that I’m sorry for what I did, and that it’s good to see you two are okay. I don’t expect you to forgive me or….I just wanted to tell you that I know now. I know what I did was wrong, I know you’re a person with just as many rights as anyone else, not a toy created by the train. </p><p>	We-” no, don’t think about him, not yet- “I had no business separating you two, and I can never atone for trying to take your life, MT. I’m so glad that my mistake backfired, I’m so glad you got off the train and that you found Jesse.” She felt a weight lift from her chest as words she’d mulled over in her mind again and again for years, having thought them so many times she knew exactly what she wanted to say.</p><p>	Lake had been looking at Grace with daggers in their eyes, but they relaxed a little at Grace’s apology. They knew what it was like to be so caught up in your emotions you resort to violence, but they still felt incredibly awkward- what the heck are you supposed to say to someone who tried to kill you apologizing for said attempted murder?<br/>
“I…...things on the train were...intense.” Lake started, trying to keep eye contact with Grace but feeling incredibly awkward in doing so. “I’ve never gotten an apology when someone’s tried to kill me though, so...thanks for that, at least.” They didn’t want to be too hard on Grace...after all, Grace was off the train now. She was talking to Lake like they were a person and everything, so she clearly wasn’t the same Grace that Lake had known. “And my name is Lake, actually.” They nodded towards Jesse, “This one came back on the train and got me on his own, no search required. We got our exit off the train together- his number reflected on my hand.” They smirked, still proud of the solution even after all this time.</p><p>	Grace was blinking in astonishment- she had never heard of someone getting BACK ON the train. To imagine that their bond was that strong, that he’d gotten back onto the train because of it...so she wasn’t alone, in loving another denizen so much. She and Hazel had met again on the train and resolved things, helping Grace finally embrace her love for Hazel as a little sister. Hazel would always help her remember to put the people she loved first- another one of her biggest regrets being the way she’d let the poor little turtle down. But things were okay, now- it had helped to finally talk to one another, to say goodbye. Though she still hadn’t been able to leave until Amelia created a device that allowed her to keep in touch with Hazel...what was the point of creating denizens to help if you came to love them so much it kept you on the train?</p><p>	“Wow, that’s amazing...and it’s great that you two have been able to stay together through all of this. Sorry if that’s weird to say.” Grace rubbed the back of her neck, feeling a little awkward.</p><p>	“Oh, no, it’s….I mean, we’ve been thinking the same thing for years.” Jesse admitted, turning to smile at Lake. His smile shifted to a concerned frown when he realized Lake was pensive and quiet, their brow furrowed with something like concern. It took a few more beats for them to ask,</p><p> </p><p>“So, Grace, I was wondering….what... happened to Simon?” They asked, their voice tight. The way Grace had said that certainly made it sound like she hadn’t been able to stay with her former second-in-command.</p><p>	Grace couldn’t speak, her voice snatched from her throat by a painful lump. Eyes stinging with tears, she turned away from Lake and Jesse with a sob. She hadn’t expected to answer this question when she’d woken up this morning, but of course she’d known it would come up. No matter how she’d accepted his passing, it still stung her heart. Simon….how long had it been since she’d talked to someone who’d known him firsthand? It had been a while since she’d seen any Apex kids, having helped each one of them find their exits until she was ready for her own. Since then she’d been living off of the train, in a different world, one where he had never been a part of her life. She blinked, and when she was able to see past her tears Grace tried to get the words out.</p><p>	“He, h-he, t-th-there, I was, but he,” She sobbed again, finally choking out one word around the painful lump in her throat. “Gohm.” </p><p>	Twin gasps sounded from Lake and Jesse, who regarded Grace with wide eyes. Jesse had seen only one gohm in passing, a statue that Lake had explained to him, and that idea had been terrifying enough. Lake had seen plenty in their time on the train, brief but terrifying encounters that had left them with nightmares more than once. Grace looked so shaken, even a bit ashen as she cried, like she’d witnessed the terror firsthand, and that was something Lake could hardly imagine. Even if Simon had been a jerk to them, no one deserved to die like that. He must have been terrified, completely aware of what was happening to him...Lake suppressed a shudder and pushed the thought away.</p><p>	Jesse passed Grace a packet of tissues from his jacket pocket, about to offer some comfort when Lake cut him off, awkwardly asking.</p><p>	“Grace!  Hey….do….you want….uh….coffee?” Lake was blushing deeply, grabbing Jesse’s hand to anchor them through this terribly awkward attempt to alleviate the tension of the emotional encounter.</p><p>	“What?” Grace sniffled, confused. Jesse smiled, as he realized what Lake was trying to say. He explained,</p><p>	“There’s a cafe nearby, if you wanna clean up and maybe get something to drink? It...sounds like we have a lot to talk about.” </p><p>	“....Yeah. Yeah, I think that would be...good. I just have to call my roommate and let them know, ok?” </p><p>	“Sure.” Lake nodded.</p><p>	“No problem.” Jesse agreed. They waved as Grace walked a short distance away to use her phone, a shy smile and ‘Be right back’ on her lips. Jesse turned to Lake, giving them an affectionate but teasing look . Lake blushed,</p><p>        “What? It’s not my fault you’re easier to talk to than other people.” They glanced away, embarrassed in assuming that Jesse was just teasing them. But he shook his head,</p><p>	“No, no, I’m not trying to embarrass you, I’m impressed. That was really sweet, Lake.” He squeezed their hand. They smiled, squeezing Jesse’s hand back. </p><p>	“Don’t tell anyone, okay?” They joked. Jesse chuckled as Grace came back over, greeting her with a raised hand.</p><p>	“Hey, you’re ready?” His car was parked only a few feet away, so he popped the trunk and put the groceries inside. “We’re good to go here.” Grace nodded in response, looking much better after having had a minute to catch her breath.</p><p>	“Yeah, all ready for coffee.” Really, it sounded like it would be nice. Grace figured it could be a sign- maybe she moved to the right place? She smiled at Lake, who nodded and turned, gesturing for Grace to follow,</p><p>       “Let’s head out.”</p>
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